Dowel apparatus for paving joints



Oct. 30, 1956 w. s. GODWIN 2,763,552

DOWEL APPARATUS FOR PAVING JOINTS Filed Aug. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l1N VENTOR M; 1)? .9. scary/xv,

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Oct. 30, 1956 w. s. GODWIN nowrzr. APPARATUS FOR PAVING JOINTS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1952 INVENTOR ML/fl/V 6.600140% M VWATTORNE Y5 United States Patent 2,768,562 DOWEL APPARATUS FOR PAVINGJOINTS William S. Godwin, New York, N. Y. Application August 19, 1952,Serial No. 305,245" 6 Claims. (Cl. 94-8) The invention relates to dowelapparatus for paving joints and more especially to apparatus forsimultaneously holding a plurality of parallel dowels and, if desired, ajoint forming member across a joint in a pavement.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an inexpensivearrangement of light weight and low cost for rigidly holding jointdowels in position during the laying of a pavement.

A second object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement whichhas the further functions, after the paving is completed, oftransmitting stress from the dowels upwardly and downwardly into theconcrete on each side of the joint and of reinforcing the concrete bodytransversely of the pavement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of thistype which makes it possible to obtain greater joint capacity and lessjoint elasticity while using less steel than similar devices heretoforeavailable.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whichrequires less labor in assembly and installation than was heretoforenecessary.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a unit of this typewhich is sufficiently rigid to be supported at the side forms only, andstill to resist the loads and stresses to which it is subjected duringthe laying of the pavement. Under these conditions, uneveness in thesubgrade between the two side forms has no effect on dowel alignment.Because of the resiliency of the construction, if it should be subjectedto deformation, before the concrete sets, it will return to its properposition as soon as the deforming force is removed.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thistype which is in effect a duplex truss, which both adds rigidity duringthe pouring of the concrete and aids in absorbing and distributing loadsand shocks in the completed pavement.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whichcan be used with standard side forms.

A further object of the invention is to provide steel-onsteel linecontact bearings for the dowels.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement inwhich the supports for the assembly can be removed after the setting ofthe concrete and truss recovered for reuse.

An additional object of the invention is to provide, in such anarrangement, a simple, light, inexpensive and eflective means forholding a road joint forming member, such as a removable contractionjoint form, in proper alignment with the dowels during the pouring andsetting of the concrete.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fullyfrom the following description, especially when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective a dowel apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof the holder for the joint member beingomitted;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an end view, showing also a road joint form holder;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of such holder;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 shows a procedure used in laying parallel strips.

The dowel holder according to the invention is made up of two opposedelements, each to lie on one side of the joint. Each element includes anupper bar 2 and a lower bar 4, parallel to each other and intended tolie crosswise of the paving or parallel to the joint.

Welded to each upper bar 2 are a plurality of generally U-shaped membersformed by bending a round bar and indicated at 6, while other U-shapedmembers 8 are welded to each of the lower rods 4. The members 6 attachedto the bar 2 lie in a single plane, While the members 8 likewise lie ina single plane. These two planes.

intersect, so that the bights of any two members 6 and 8 form betweenthem a substantially circular opening for receiving a dowel 10.

As shown in Fig. 7, the bights of the upper member 6 are of less radiusof curvature than those of the lower members 8. The two are weldedtogether at the point of intersection as at 12, the outer sides of themembers 6 being secured to the inner sides of the members 8.

There are also provided removable socket forming devices composed ofshort U-shaped members 14 and somewhat longer U-shaped members 16, thelatter having clip ends as at 18 which are adapted to engage over theoutside of the bights of the members 6, 8. The parts 14 and 16 arewelded together at their intersection 20, and thus form a removabledowel holding socket attached in alignment with the dowel openingsformed by the bights of the members 6, 8.

In the use of the arrangement so far described, two units each formed byan upper bar 2, a lower bar 4 and a plurality of the members 6, 8provided with the dowel sockets 14, 16 are assembled together and inopposed relation to each other with the dowel 10 extending between them.The lower bars 4 are inserted at each end into a block 22 which may beformed of wood. A rubber band 24 is applied around the outer dowel 10 oneach end and around the block 22 so as to hold the block in engagementwith the ends of the bars 4.

The unit so formed is quite rigid and self-sustaining, and will bear aconsiderable weight on the dowels. It in etfect forms a double trussarrangement which is of com siderable strength and rigidity.

In the formation of a pavement, this unit is used with standard sideforms such as 26. The whole unit is placed at an angle to the line ofthe intended joint and is then turned so as to engage the blocks 22beneath the inward projections 28 of the side forms 26. The whole unitis then held rigidly in position between the side forms, and issupported only by the blocks 22. Thus any inequalities in the subgradebetween the two side forms have no effect on the unit and will not causemisalignment or misplacement of the dowels.

When the concrete is poured and hardened, the 'members 6, 8 formrearwardly and outwardly extending arms which, by virtue of their threepoint connection with the dowel, will transmit the load on each dowelthrough the truss structure. They will also transmit this load to therods 2, 4 which serve as reinforcing rods.

When the side forms are removed, the rubber bands 24 can be cut and theblocks 22 pulled off the ends of the bars 2 for reuse.

In the making of a contraction joint, it is also desirable to provide asupport for a joint forming member.

Patented Oct. 30, 1956.

This is accomplished as shown particularly in Figs. 4 to6 by the use ofsupports each'c'omposed of a'rod or bar bent to form an upwardly openU-shaped portion 30 and having lateral extensions 32 provided at theirends with hooks 34 which engage. around the upper bars 2. In addition, apiece 38 is'w'elded at 36 to'the bottom of the U-shaped portion 30 in aplane at right arigle's to the'plan'e of the portion 30 and having endsadapted to rest on one of the dowels 10. As many of these may be used asare needed to give'proper support to a joint forming member 40 whichfits into the U-shaped portion 30 and is supported thereby.

Ingeneral, in thefuse of this device, one of the parts composed of a rod2, a rod 4 and a plurality of members 6, 8 with dowel sockets attachedis laid on a suitable surface with the rods 2 and 4 in a commonhorizontal plane and the dowel sockets upwardly open. Dowels are droppedin these sockets with rubber bands on the first and last dowels. Asimilar unit is then dropped ontop of the dowels. The wood supports 22are then pushed through the rubber bands and the holes provided in themare fitted into the rods 4. (It may also be desirable, where the jointform support is not used, to connect the upper bars 2 at each end by apair of rubber bands.) The assembled unit is placed on the subgradebetween two side forms, 'at something of an angle to the angle of thejoint, "and is then turned to fit the blocks 22 underneath theprojections 28 of the side forms. The contraction joint forming membersupports, if they are to ,be used, are connected across the bars 2and'caused to rest on the dowels and the contraction joint 'formingmember is placed in position.

At this time, the concrete is poured and allowed to set. At 'the'propertime, the contraction joint forming member .40 is raised by means ofhooked levers 42 about one inch above the surface and used as a guidefor an edging tool. It is then removed, and in due course the joint isfilled with hot joint'filler.

In the finished road strip, the portions of the lower rods 4 which wereinserted into the blocks 22 will project somewhat from the concrete, asshown in Fig. 8. Inlaying parallel strips, the truss unit of the nextstrip canbe supported at the end next to the completed strip by-puttingsleeves '42 on the projections of bars'4, and inserting the ends of bars4 of the next unit into these sleeves, as shown in Fig. 8.

The arrangement of Figs. to 7 may also be mounted on the bottom bars 4in inverted position to hold a joint forming member on the sub-grade.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish itto be understood that I do not intend to'be limited thereby exceptwithin the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim: I

1. A dowel apparatus for paving joints, comprising two elements eachcomposed of a pair of elongated members arranged in parallel verticallyspaced relation and adapted to be arranged across a paving section atdifferent levels, a plurality of generally U-shaped parts having theirlegs permanently and rigidly attached to the members at spaced pointstherealong, the parts attached to one member lying in a plane forming asubstantial angle with the plane of the parts attached to the othermember, the bights of the parts attached to one member overlapping thebights of the parts attached to the other member and the parts beingpermanently and rigidly secured together at the intersection of suchplanes, whereby to form a plurality of dowel receiving openings spacedlongitudinally along said members, and means connecting the lowerelongated members of said elements in spaced relation with the dowelreceiving openings of one member opposite those of the other member.

2. In a device as claimed in claim 1, dowels arranged in said openings,said dowels together holding said elements in a unitary whole.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 2, means resting on said dowels andconnecting the upper members of each of said elements being providedwith means to support a joint forming member.

4. In a device as claimed in claim 1, dowels arranged insaid openings,said dowels together holding said elements in a unitary whole, a jointforming member support having an upwardly open bend therein, and havinga downward extension from the bottom of the bend resting on a dowel andlateral extensions connected'to the upper elongated members of saidelements.

'5. In a device as claimed in claim 4, one of each opposing [pair ofparts having a bight of less radius of curvature than the other, theoutside of the part having the bight of less radius being secured to theinside of the other part.

6. In a device as claimed in claim 1, one of each opposingpair of partshaving a bight of less radius of curvature than the other, the outsideof the part having the bight of less radius being secured to the insideof the other part.

References Cited in the file of this patent

